Taxonomy of the bacterial genus Pseudorhizobium

Based on genome similarity and core genome phylogeny, we delineate a new chemolithoautotroph species, P. banfieldii sp. nov., whose type strain is NT-26 (= DSM 106348 = CFBP 8663). In addition, we reclassify Rhizobium halotolerans, R. marinum, R. flavum and R. endolithicum as P. halotolerans comb. nov., P. marinum comb. nov., P. flavum comb. nov. and R. endolithicum comb. nov., respectively, and show that P. pelagicum is a synonym of P. marinum. The genome-based classification of rhizobia was independently supported by a chemotaxonomic comparison, with fatty acid profiling, protein composition (MALDI-TOF) and metabolic capacities (Biolog) providing increasing taxonomic resolution. If using these data, please cite the following preprint: Lassalle et al. (2019). Phylogenomic analysis reveals the basis of adaptation of Pseudorhizobium species to extreme environments. bioRxiv 690347, https://doi.org/10.1101/690347.